1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a vehicle and a control method of the vehicle. More specifically the invention pertains to a vehicle equipped with a motor that is capable of outputting regenerative braking force, as well as to a corresponding control method of such a vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art
In one proposed structure of an electric vehicle, an electric motor in an electric driving system is used to rotate drive wheels both in a normal direction and in a reverse direction. When the vehicle speed exceeds a preset reference vehicle speed at the timing of the driver's depression of a brake pedal, the electric vehicle of this structure performs regenerative braking control (see, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Gazette No. H06-284510). There is a vehicle equipped with an engine and a motor generator for regenerative braking. The vehicle stops the regenerative braking by the motor when the vehicle speed decreases to or below a preset threshold value. The vehicle changes the threshold value for stopping the regenerative braking according to the engine drive mode (see, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Gazette No. 2002-95106).
One proposed braking system for an electric vehicle equipped with a motor controls the motor to give a regenerative braking force, which is equal to a difference between an operational braking force computed from the driver's depression amount of a brake pedal and a mechanical braking force computed from a wheel cylinder pressure (see, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Gazette No. H08-98315). One proposed structure of a vehicle includes both an engine and a motor generator for regenerative braking. This vehicle stops the regenerative braking at a vehicle speed decreasing to or below a preset reference vehicle speed and changes a threshold value for stopping the regenerative braking according to the drive mode of the engine (see, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Gazette No. 2002-095106). Another proposed structure of a vehicle has a drive motor to output a regenerative torque to drive wheels, and a hydraulic braking system to give a braking force to front and rear wheels corresponding to the hydraulic pressure generated by the driver's pressing force of a brake pedal. Upon satisfaction of a predetermined condition, this vehicle reduces the hydraulic pressure applied to the drive wheels by the hydraulic braking system and increases the regenerative torque produced by the drive motor corresponding to the decreased hydraulic pressure (see, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Gazette No. 2005-145147).